Mercedes-AMG has tweaked its high-performance GLA 45 S 4Matic model with a handful of visual and tech-related upgrades. Distinguished by its lightly altered front end, the most powerful version of the GLA gets some fresh interior and exterior technology, but there's no difference to the 421hp 2.0-litre petrol engine under the bonnet.
Nose job
Immediately, the new GLA 45 is set apart by its tweaked front-end design, complete with a newly shaped front apron and the AMG crest on the bonnet. There are new headlights, too, with LEDs used for the entire lighting system, creating subtle new light signatures at the front and rear of the car.
Those new features sit alongside the usual GLA 45 design cues, including the wheel arch extensions that are now painted in the body colour and the 21-inch alloy wheels. At the back, a round twin tailpipe trim and a lip spoiler on the roof mark out this most potent model in Mercedes' compact SUV range.
Upgraded interior
Inside, the tweaks are similarly subtle, with Mercedes-AMG fitting a new steering wheel and a new AMG-specific infotainment screen design. The new wheel is an AMG Performance part, fitted as standard and adorned with extra buttons for a more motorsport-derived feel. Meanwhile, the MBUX infotainment system now has a hint of extra sportiness courtesy of some AMG-specific screen designs and additional functions. Mercedes-AMG has also increased the USB charging power and fitted an additional USB-C port for extra connectivity.
No change under the bonnet
As before, the GLA 45 is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that produces 421hp. That goes to all four wheels via Mercedes' 4Matic all-wheel-drive system and an eight-speed twin-clutch gearbox, allowing a 0-100km/h time of 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 270km/h.
The GLA 45 also comes with driving modes, including a Race setting, with each setting offering a slightly different set-up to suit the conditions or the driver's driving style. It can do that through a trick rear differential that allows the power to be distributed selectively between the front and rear axles and between the left and right rear wheels.